Behind the Scenes: Wedding Planners Styled Day

Aimee De La Lande Photography

I am a HUGE believer in community over competition. The wedding industry is an interesting one because we all create so much - and that can make it very competitive and judgemental ("will that couple book with me or with them? This thing that I just made is total crap. This thing I just made is incredible and no one will ever beat it."). It can be hard to find the balance between viewing the other people in your industry as colleagues versus competitors.

So, for the last two years, one thing that I've really enjoyed putting together is a Styled Shoot day for a handful of wedding planners in the city. My goals are primarily to have fun (they have stressful jobs!), fostering community, creating connections, and building portfolios. But, I do it a little differently than other styled shoots which are usually planned down to the last detail. I do it as a surprise for them! I usually give them the overall colour palette, and that's it. When they show up on the day, they'll find tables full of options that they can pull from to create a look that they love. This includes dresses and accessories for their models, plenty of vase options for centrepieces, flatware and dishes, linens, chairs, stationery, and so on!

Here's a little behind the scenes from that day! It's pretty different than the behind the scenes for a wedding day, but it's still fun!

Video by Prairie Wedding Films

A HUGE thanks to everyone who took part! 
Venue: Alloway Hall, Manitoba Museum | Linens and Chairs: Planned Perfectly | Tabletop Rentals: C&T Rentals | Stationery: Jennifer Bianca Calligraphy | Makeup: Jessica Kmiec Artistry and Lidia Najera | Hair: Annette Wilkinson Designs and  @steph.wall | Dresses and Accessories: Bliss Bridal Boutique | Favours/Sweets: Jenna Rae Cakes and Bronuts | Video: Prairie Wedding Films

Esther Funk Photography

Tell you what, guys: designing on site with a limited amount of ingredients for a lineup of wedding planners is a little tricky (as you can see from that first pic! ha!).

We also had an amazing crew of photographers who volunteered their time and were each partnered with a planner. 

Reanne Berard Photography with Amanda Douglas Events
Victoria Anne Photography with White Ivy Weddings
Esther Funk Photography with Feast & Festivities
Aimee de la Lande Photography with Ashley Brooke Weddings
Casey Nolin Photography with Inspired Elegance Events

Below are some images from a demo table that I put together, photographed by Esther Funk Photography. With the warm fall tones in the flowers I thought the light blue linen would be a nice contrast. I was planning to do something completely differently, but I love how it turned out!

And now for the finished design!

Below are some of the details from the tables that each of the planners put together! 
First up, Emily from Feast & Festivities. I have to give her major kudos for taking on the challenge of a chartreuse velvet linen. This woman is not afraid of colour and I love that she dubbed this an "Oscar the Grouch" wedding look! 😂

This feminine, pretty table was designed by Ashley at Ashley Brooke Weddings. She's a girly girl so I wasn't surprised when she chose a feminine palette. I love the gold accents and that deep hit of plum. And I love that photographer Aimee de la Lande chose that black wall to take photos in front of. Wooo!

Up next is Sheila from Inspired Elegance Events! It was funny to chat with her while she was putting this together. Her only thought coming into the shoot day (knowing that there was nothing she could do to prepare) was "I'm not going to do pink." ha! I liked this take on pink. Instead of the light, airy blush that has been going around for a few years (and let's be honest, is always beautiful), she added some serious depth with those dark wood crossback chairs and berry toned flowers. I also loved that she chose to go with a tall arrangement. I'm not usually a huge fan of tall centrepieces, but sometimes and in some spaces, tall arrangements are perfect.

This design was put together by Amanda Douglas Events. I like that it really plays off of natural tones as the base, and then layers in some of that brighter, richer warm tones. Those wood charger plates are such an awesome texture that's added in, and Amanda tucked in a few of her own details - the candles and black plates. 

And finally, we've got a newer planner: Ashley from White Ivy Weddings. Her favourite element from everything that was available to choose from was the rich, warm orange copper beech leaves, and she built her entire design around them. I LOVE the orange ranunculus paired with those golden mustard roses, the addition of the burgundy taper candles, and the warm brass coloured linen.

What Is Event Design?

I've been working in weddings for just about 9 years now, and trends and styles have come and gone. What hasn't is the way that I feel about weddings: "the best" weddings that I've seen or been a part of (aka my favourites) have been the best because of the ways that the wedding makes you feel. They're the best because of how I've been able to see how the couple comes out in the details. As a guest, you walk into the wedding and feel a sense of recognition - you're definitely at the right wedding.

That's why I love being a part of full event design so much. It's about so much more than just the details - yes, we start there, and they play a major role in communicating your style and vision to the guests - but it's more about the way that you want your wedding to feel.

Event design is about designing beyond the flowers. Developing your style, figuring out what it is that will make your wedding special, unique and personal, and then pulling together all of the vendors who will be a part of that - linens and decor rentals, lighting, stationery, cake design - is all part of the process.

To me, a beautiful event isn’t one that has every single little detail that Pinterest shows you, but rather a wedding where the design components are considerately planned, and thoughtfully styled and executed in a personal way. I love taking all of the bits and pieces that you’ve imagined and lend an experienced eye to bring it together into a cohesive, well-designed event...not a wedding that you've already seen on Pinterest, but a wedding that honestly reflects the two of you.

Looking for a wedding event designer in Winnipeg?

Getting married in Manitoba? I have the availability to accept 2-3 full event design commissions for 2019. This service is booked in tandem with wedding flowers, and really allows me to help you create a wedding experience that really and truly reflects you and will put your guests at ease.

(Popular 2019 wedding dates are already booking up!)

Modern Wedding at the Winnipeg Art Gallery

Heather and Ryan were a DREAM couple to work with and their modern wedding at the Winnipeg Art Gallery was a personal favourite from my 2017 wedding season. They have such great style, had incredible vision, and came up with creative ideas and details that set their wedding apart from all the rest. It was definitely one of those weddings that, as a floral designer who never gets to see the main event, I WISH I could have been a guest at! Details were minimal, curated, and in a crisp black and white palette with touches of burgundy and peach. A family friend welded an incredible custom metal arch for the rooftop ceremony, which was a dream to fill with florals.

As Featured on Host Winnipeg

Photos: Kamp Photography ~ Venue: WAG ~ Wedding Coordinator: Amanda Douglas Events ~ Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique ~ Desserts and Cakes: Buttercream by Alareen

Heather wanted a bouquet that was loose, organic, and textural with a shape that kind of spilled out and over. I started with white dahlias, lisianthus, cosmos, scabiosa and veronica and then added in peachy zinnias, strawflower, and blushing bride protea. Burgundy smokebush foliage was used for some depth, along with these really cool trailing vines and ferns. Sometimes a bouquet just sort of takes on its own thing while I'm putting it together and I love it when that happens. I felt like this bouquet just had so much personality. 

Below, you see me teaching Heather how to hold the bouquet to show it and her dress off best :) 

Heather actually designed all of their stationery products herself!

This arch. Ahhhh. Designing the florals for this arch was one of my favourite moments of 2017.

The structure (which they had welded by a friend) was just so much fun for me to work with. I love the clean, simple lines of it and because of the open frame, I could actually work both inside and outside of it. I hope you can see that depth in some of these pictures - some portions of the design were placed inside, at the back of the frame to allow the flowers to come through and out, and others were placed outside the frame, growing up and down. We used probably 7 different types of foliages, and finished with with a few perfect white dahlias to create an interesting visual line.

The rooftop at the WAG is windy no matter what the weather is down on the ground (a lesson learned sadly at this wedding). Heather and Ryan's arch was pretty stable thanks to that solid base, but it's definitely something to keep in mind if you're planning an outdoor rooftop wedding!

When you host an event in a gallery or museum, you're pretty much restricted to whatever art installation they currently have on display. Heather and Ryan totally lucked out in that department, because just a few days before their wedding, the WAG installed these gorgeous floating cloud-like pieces from the ceiling and they couldn't have been more perfect! They brought a beautiful softness to the space, while complementing Heather and Ryan's clean-lined, modern style really well.

Centrepieces were kept simple, with organic-style greenery arrangements in a clear glass vase. I added greenery and floral touches throughout, on various signs and the cool seating card wall that Heather designed. They had a pretty slick lineup of different cakes and desserts that I added different touches to as well (I SO badly wanted to just shove my face in these chocolate treats).

Looking for a wedding florist in Winnipeg?

Getting married in Manitoba? I might be biased, but flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding! 

Limited winter 2018 dates are still available and popular 2019 dates are already booking up. Inquire today!

Elegant New Year's Eve Wedding at Breezy Bend

While I'm a total homebody and love pretty much nothing more than laying on the couch with some chips and guac, I have to say that the idea of a New Year's Eve wedding has always given me a thrill. What better way to ring in the new year than celebrating with people you love? And for those of us who, like me, find New Year's Eve a little bit stressful (Should I host a party? What if I don't get invited to a party? Is it okay that all I want to do is go to the movies?), being a guest at a New Year's Eve wedding is the perfect solution. Built-in dinner, dancing, and fireworks. Perfect! 

So needless to say, I was really pumped to be asked to do the florals for Libby and Kevin's wedding at Breezy Bend Golf Course. I could tell right away that Libby has great style, and she had a pretty clear idea of what she wanted right off the hop. When I arrived on the day of to set everything up, I couldn't believe how much I loved everything she had chosen. It was glitzy without being tacky, elegant without being stuffy, and glamorous without being over the top. In a word, it was perfect! 

Izabela Rachwal Photography ~ Breezy Bend Golf Course ~ The Manitoba Club ~ Planned Perfectly ~ C&T Rentals

Libby went for a classic black, white and green palette (with an emphasis on lots of green). We still wanted to bring in a lot of texture to the flowers. 

Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: Garden roses, lisianthus, anemones, yin and yang poms, with several varieties of ruscus, podocarpus, and English boxwood (funnily enough, Libby's only request was for English boxwood!).

Obviously I had to include one of me delivering the bouquets :) With a winter wedding, this is how everything comes: wrapped up in layer after layer of plastic to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. It was stinking cold on December 31, 2017 (as it usually is on NYE) so I think I actually had 3 layers of plastic bags on these bouquets!

You'll also see me below showing Libby how to hold her bouquet, which I do with every bride/bridal party. Unless your bouquets are round in shape, there will be a front side and a back side. I always tell my clients that the pins are in the backs of their bouquets, so that's where they can place their thumbs. Once they've got the right side, we talk about where to hold the bouquet so it's most flattering. I really don't want you to cover up your entire dress by holding your bouquet too high! The best position is to place your wrist bones on your hip bones, and angle the bouquet slightly out.

The ceremony was held at the Manitoba Club (just like this winter wedding was), in the ballrooms. It's such an elegant and high detailed space that we didn't want to do too much in here. We tossed around the idea of a draped backdrop with florals along the top, but in the end, settled on a set of 4 mixed height gold, thin gold stands with textured greenery arrangements set on top. It drew the eye in to the "altar" without taking away from the space.

We kept things much the same at the reception: lots of greenery, lots of white, lots of gold. I'll tell you, when I walked in and saw how good it all looked even without centrepieces, I got REALLY excited. The tables were covered in white sequins, which added just the right NYE feeling without feeling gaudy in any way, and the gold-rimmed glassware really upped the elegant factor.

For the head table, Libby wanted a beautiful, low, lush arrangement that would make the small table feel really special. Keeping the focus on the greenery, I decided that the only white bloom I'd use would be white hydrangea. It's a classic, and is perfectly suited to this type of setting.

The guest tables featured a large greenery bouquet, white sequinned table linens with gold accents, and a greenery sprig on each place setting with TONS of candlelight. 

Planning a winter wedding in Winnipeg?

Planning a winter wedding in Winnipeg? I'd love to dream up some incredible ideas for your wedding flowers and I'm now booking for winter 2018/2019! I have plenty of availability throughout November, December, January and February. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding! 

Sophisticated Ballroom Wedding with Garden Inspired Style

From winter to spring in a week! I can't believe that Stefanie and Jared's spring wedding at the Fairmont Hotel was almost a year ago already. Their wedding was at the end of May, and let me tell you: May sees the BEST combination of flowers. EVER. Of all the months (and if you've been around here for a while, then you'll remember me extolling all the virtues of a May wedding). So when it came time to plan all the florals and event design for Stefanie and Jared, we knew that a sophisticated, garden-inspired design would be perfect for them!

Fairmont Hotel ~ Dustin Leader Photography ~ Planned Perfectly

Along with the florals, I was also hired to do full event design for Stefanie and Jared. These weddings always end up being some of my favourites, because I get to be so much more involved with all of the aesthetic decisions. Some couples need a guiding eye, some have a hectic schedule so the introductions to other vendors are invaluable and time saving, and others just want to hand off the process. Any of those is perfectly fine for me! 

We always start the event design process with an exercise that helps me to get a really clear picture of what's important to the couple as we plan their wedding. For Stefanie and Jared, the clear direction that we created was for an elegant wedding filled with thoughtful, sophisticated details and sentimental charm.

The Fairmont Hotel was a beautiful choice (and it also made it so easy for the guests!) but as it's definitely a classic ballroom, my challenge was creating an overall style that was also fitting with the garden-inspired florals that the couple sought after. The result is one of my favourite styles: sort of an elegant garden party. Because there's no reason why a ballroom wedding has to feel stuffy! Most of my weddings aren't quite this formal, so it was a nice chance to merge my style with theirs.

I couldn't decide which angle of Stefanie's bridal bouquet that I liked best, so you get both ;) It was lush and organic, with a touch of trailing vine and the most delicious combo of fragrant blooms. 

Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: peonies, ranunculus (some of the most gorgeous I've ever seen!!), anemones, hyacinth, several varieties of roses, tulips, and finished with eucalyptus, italian ruscus, and the most perfect blooming jasmine vine (we literally NEVER get blooming jasmine).

For Jared and the guys, we just did a simple ranunculus boutonniere. It also bears mentioning that of this couple, Jared is the one who loves flowers, which made me laugh. He was more than willing to blow their wedding budget on massive centrepieces, ha!

I loved the ambiance we created for the ceremony. For logistical ease, we decided on having the ceremony take place in the far end of the ballroom, with a double-sided panel of draping installed by the masters over at Planned Perfectly to separate the ceremony space from the other side of the ballroom, where the reception would be. Candles lined the aisle, and I designed a detailed altar with 4 large floral arrangements set atop thin gold stands. All of this was intelligently incorporated into the wedding's reception design, as well! Take a peek - I'm so proud of how well this all came together and in a way that really maximized their budget.

On the other side of the drapery, we set the head table. Planned Perfectly created a gorgeous design that the couple loved. We let them do their thing with just a touch of guidance as to what Stefanie was drawn to, and I really think that that's when the very best things happen! You can see that we re-purposed two of the tall gold stands from the ceremony to the head table, which just helped to anchor the couple in the large room. The other two were used as centrepieces on the parents' tables, and we also moved over all of the candles from the ceremony to the head table as well.

One of my favourite days during the event design process is when we select linens. I usually have a pretty clear idea of what's going to look great based on the venue and the wedding's colour palette, and for Stefanie and Jared's wedding I knew we wanted to use something in the ivory/champagne/soft gold direction. I brought a few options with me to a walk-through with Stefanie at the Fairmont, which helped her to visualize the space a lot better (I also brought along a few chair cover and rental chair options - I love being able to do this for my clients!). She decided on this soft gold lace overlay, which perfectly toes the line between elegant sophistication and garden-inspired. 

We chose two centrepieces styles to bring dimension throughout the room, half tall and half low. The tall ones were my personal favourite! I loved adding the trailing fern to enhance that garden ambiance.

We worked with PSAV, the Fairmont's in-house audio/visual department, for the lighting. Whenever I'm working on event design, I think about a few key things: colour, lighting, and texture. We settled on a blushy amber tone, to create a romantic candlelit feeling.

Looking for a wedding florist in Winnipeg?

Getting married in Manitoba? I might be biased, but flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces - along with full event design - to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding! 

(Popular 2019 wedding dates are already booking up!)